Asskmoe to the uttee



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H.-B.UTTER.

POTATO BIGGER.

Patentgd June 8, 1886.

N PETERS, mwmmgnp u. wahin cnn, n. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. B. UTTER.

POTATO BIGGER.

No. 343.553. Patented June 8.. 1886.

N. PETERS. Fhnlollfiwgrlphcr, Washington. D. C,

UNITED STATES PATENT FFlCE-O HORACE B. UTIER, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ASSICNOR TO THE UTTER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OFSAME PLACE.

POTATO-DIGGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 343,553, dated June 8, 1886. I

Application filed August 31, 1885. Serial No. 175,791.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HORACE B. UTTER, a citizen of the United States, residing in'the city of Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Potato-Digger, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to horse-power potato-diggers. Its object is to combine a potatodigger with a wheeled cultivator; and it consists, essentially, in the combination of a potato-digger with a wheeled cultivator, and in the devices employed to produce the combination. To this end I have designed and produced the apparatus represented in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of awheeled cultivator with which I have combined a potatodigger, and in which one of the carryingwheels is omitted, to more clearly show the connection. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the cultivator and digger attached. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the digger in its connection with the'cultivator, and Fig. at is a vertical section on dotted line 1 on Fig. 3.

The several parts represented in the several figures of the accompanying drawings, consisting of an axle-tree, A, with axle-arms fixed to its end portions, and carrying wheels B, mounted to revolve thereon, a tongue frame, 0, fixed to the axletree and extending forward therefrom, a seat-frame, D, fixed to the supporting-frame and extending rearward, with a seat, E, fixed on its rear end, the pendants H, with drag-bars I, having their forward ends hinge-jointed to the lower ends of the pendants and extending rearward therefrom under the axle-tree, shovel-standard safety-fastenings K, fixed tothe drag-bars, and shovelstandards L,with shovels N fixed thereto, supported in the standard-fastening, the lifting and holding levers P, their ratchet-supports T, their link-connection with the supportingframe and with the drag-bars, and their pawlconnection with the ratchet-supports, including the mechanical construction and attachments of these several parts, are substantially the same, for the same purpose, and operate in the same manner as like parts of the cultivator secured by United States Patent No. 197 ,503,

to Morris L. Utter, dated November 27, 1877.

(No model.)

The potato-digger consists, essentially, ofa curved bar, a, and djgger-fingersb and c. The digger-fingers are fixed at proper intervals to the central upward-curving portion of the curved bar, and from their connection therewith extend forward, inclining downward to place their pointed forward ends in the same horizontal plane. The digger-teeth c on each side of the center tooth extend rearward of the curved bar to which they are fixed. The uprising end portions of the curved bar a of the digger engage a bracket-arm, d, projecting rearward from the joint-sockets e, and are securely fixed therctoin this instance by means of a screw-bolt passed through the parts. The joint-socket e is of inverted-bell form, having vertical side walls, and their end walls flaring or inclining outward in the lateral direction of the machine, and of an internal opening in the lengthwise direction thereof equal to the diameter of its standard-supporth. The standard-supports h are each provided with ahead, 2', and each standard receives an eye or hook washer, k. The standards are passed upward through the bell-formedjoint-socket, and their upper portions are fixed to the drag-bars by means of the shovel-standard fastening. A collar, Z, is placed on each standard above the standard-fastening, and isfixed in place by means of a set-screw.

The standards,by means of their connection with the fastening and the adjustable collar Z, are made adjustable vertically to regulate the running depth of the di ger relatively with the side shovels forward of the digger. The standard-supports are also made adjustable in their connection with the fastening to raise and lower the points of the digger-fingers to place them on a proper working level.

In connection with the standard-fastening I have employed a brace-chain, m, or link, to

digger out free on both sides. It will be seen that by reason of the bell-formed j oiut-socket connection of the digger with the drag-bars the respective sides are capable of independent vertical movements, controlled by thelifting and holding mechanism,to adjust the digger to run at the proper level, control its running depth, and elevate and support the digger in an elevated position for transportation.

In the operation of my improved machine the central portion, or the row containing the potatoes or other vegetables, will be lifted by forward movement of the digger, and willfiow upward overthe fingers, and a portion of the earth will be sifted through the openings between the fingers and the potatoes will be carried over and to a great extent will be found on the surface. In this instance I have combined a potato-digger with a particular form of cultivator, but do not wish to confine myself to this particular machine, as perhaps any or all of the varieties of wheeled straddle-row cultivators employing hiugejointed drag-bars may be employed and still be within thescope of my invention.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination of a potato-digger with the drag-bars and shovels of a wheeled cultivator, said digger made adjustable in its conneetion with said drag-bars and shovels, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the drag-bars of a wheel-cultivator, of a potato'digger and its supporting-standards,said standards being adj ustable in their attachment to the drag-bars, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the dragbars of a wheel-cultivator, of the adjustable standards, and a potato-digger whose frame is secured to said standards by means of joint-sockets, substantially as described. 7

4. The herein-described potato-digger, consisting of a curved or bent bar and diggenfingers, said bar having upturned end portions to engage its hinge-joint connection with the drag-bars, and a central upward-curving portion to secure the digger-fingers, and said digger-fingers fixed to the central upward-curving portion, and extending therefrom forward and downward, with their pointed ends in the same horizontal plane, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

HORACE B. UTTER.

Witnesses:

A. O. BEHEL, JACOB BEHEL. 

